Kashmir unrest: Separatists hold meeting; may relax protest

Authorities had on November 2 foiled a similar meeting between the leaders by not allowing Mirwaiz Farooq out of his residence.

As Kashmir reels under 121st days of unrest since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on Sunday, the government allowed Hurriyat faction chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front chief Yasin Malik to hold a meet at the residence of Hurriyat faction head Syed Ali Geelani, The Hindu reported.

According to the report, the meeting was held in the morning at Srinagar’s Hyderpora area. Hurriyat spokesman Shahid-ul-Islam has confirmed the development.

Authorities had on November 2 foiled a similar meeting between the leaders by not allowing Mirwaiz Farooq out of his residence.

The meeting is significant as sources said the three leaders were to discuss “future course of action” in the wake of 121-day long agitation in the Valley and “review strategy” regarding the shutdown politics amid growing public pressure to provide alternate modes of protest.

According to a news agency report, the leaders may decide to give relief to education, transport and trade in their next protest calendar.

Separatist sources told IANS that the three leaders would discuss the strategy regarding the ongoing protest shutdown called by them that has paralyzed life in the Kashmir Valley for nearly four months.

Separatists have been issuing weekly protest calendars and asking people to continue the lockdow in the Valley.
On Saturday, at least 12 people were injured in a fresh clashes that erupted following death of a teen on Saturday. The incident happened after the death of a 16-year-old boy due to alleged poisoning in Eidgah area of the city.

The boy identified as Qaiser Sofi from Eidgah area of the city died at a hospital in Srinagar. After his burial, some youth indulged in stone pelting on security forces, prompting use of force by the law enforcing agencies, a police official said.

The police official added that at least 12 people were injured out of which six have sustained pellet injuries.

The official said Sofi was reported missing on October 25 and found in an unconscious state in Shalimar area of the city six days later and hospitalised.